Guilford d



7 (Model.)

G. D. HOWELL.

V SLED.

Patented Dec. 13,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GUILFORD D. ROWELL, OF APPLETON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE APPLETONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SLED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,978, dated December13, 1881.

Application filed September 29, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it mayconcern:

Be itknown that I, GUILFORD D. RowELL, of Appleton, in the county ofOutagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sleds and I do hereby declare the following to be afull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in sleds; and it consists in thecombination of the runner, a hollow knee or casting provided withflanges upon its outer and inner edges, and a casting which is securedto the under side of the cross-bar and to the knee by means oflugs whichcatch over flanges, and by a headed bolt which passes through a slot inthe top of the knee, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to give a free and independent movement toeach one of the runners of a bob'sled, where the sled is to be used uponrough or uncleared ground, and so that in starting heavy loads one ofthe runners can be started in advance of the other.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a rearview ofthe same. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspectives of the two castings.

A represents the two runners, which are loosely connected together attheir front ends by the cross-bar to which the tongue is secured. Uponthe top of each one of these runners is securely bolted thehollowmetallic knee B, which has the flanges C, to fit upon the top ofthe runner for the bolts to pass through, and the dependent flanges D,which extend down over the sides of the runner, so as to brace the kneesecurely in place. Upon the inner and outer edges of the top of thisknee are formed theflanges E, which are made curved, as shown, andthrough the top of the knee is made a slot, F, for the headedfastening-bolt Gr.

Secured to the under side of the cross-piece or bolster H is thecastingI, which is provided with the pivot J, which extends up into theunder side of the bolster, so as to prevent any endwise movement.Through each end of this casting is made a slot, L, and through thisslot is passed a clamping-bolt,M. These slots and the projection, whichserves as a pivot also, allow this casting to have a horizontal rotaryplay at each one of its ends equal to thelength of the slots.

The under side of the casting at its center, where it bears upon the topof the knee, is made rounding, so as to correspond to the concavitywhich is made in the top of the knee, and so that the knee can playfreely back and forth a distance which is limited by the length of theslot in the top of the knee. Formed with this casting, on its underside, are the lugs O, which catch over the flanges which are made uponthe inner and outer edges of the knee, and thus prevent too great astrain from coming upon the headed bolt, which servesto limit the playwhich the knee shall have upon the casting. This headed bolt is passedup through the knee from the under side, and its upper end is passedthrough the pivot upon which the casting turns, and is then clinched orfastened in any suitable manner.

As the casting has a slightly rotary movement upon its pivot, and as theknee can play back and forth over the casting, and as the two runnersare closely connected together at their front ends, it will readily beseen that each runner has an almost universal movement, either by itselfor in connection with the other one.

By means of this construction, where the slide has to be used upon roughground,or any ground that has never been cleared of stumps, or wherevery heavy loads are to be started, the sled is much more easily startedand managed than can be done where the two runners are secured rigidlytogether in the usual manner. Where heavy loads are to be started onerunner can be started first, and then the other runner can be readilymoved, so that much less exertion is required in starting a sled of thisconstruction than any other kind.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination of therunner, the metallic knee, the casting, and the cross-bar, the kneehaving a play upon the casting and the casting havingamovementof its ownupon the cross-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the knee, having the flanges upon its outer andinner edges, with a casting has slots in its ends for clamping-bolts topass through, with the knee having slots in its upper end, and a headedbolt which unites IS the knee and the casting together, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUILF'ORD D. ROWELL.

Witnesses:

W. J. ALLEN, I). G. RoWELL.

